South-end ferry service resumes

Service on the Point Defiance-Tahlequah route has resumed and is on schedule after divers conducted an underwater inspection on the Chetzemoka this morning.

Washington State Ferries officials announced Thursday morning that sailings on the Point Defiance-Tahlequah route resumed at 7:35 a.m. after previous cancelled sailings due to an underwater inspection of the Chetzemoka.

A total of six sailing between 5 a.m. and 7:35 were cancelled as divers conducted a necessary inspection of the Chetzemoka’s rudder. Ferry system officials said in an email alert Wednesday afternoon that the inspection comes after a rudder issue was found on Chetzemoka’s sister vessels in Port Townsend: the Kennewick and the Salish. The Salish has been repaired and is back on the route, but the Kennewick is out until mid-July to repair the rudder.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we’re going to make sure the Chetzemoka is not having the same rudder issues,” Washington State Ferries (WSF) spokesman Ian Sterling said Wednesday. “We’ll see what they find.”

No issues were found Thursday.

“They didn’t find anything that would cause concern on that boat,” Sterling said. “We’re really happy about it.”